Knockdown desk



April' 17, 1962 w. E` TURLEY 3,030,164

KNOCKDOWN DESK April 17, 1962 w. E. TURLEY 3,030,164

xNocxnowN DESK Filed oct 31, 195s 2 sheets-sheet z INVENTOR.

,j 3,030,164 Patented Apr. 17, 1962 icc 3,630,164 KNUCIQDGWN Dil William E. Tnriey, Dearhorn, Mich., assigner to William E. Hargreaves and Jeanne W. Hargreaves, hoth of Bloomfield Hiils, Mich.

Filed Get. 31, 1953, Ser. No. '77@,995 3 Claims. (Cl. S12-195) The present invention relates to furniture construction and refers more particularly to a desk of metal frame pedestal construction having paneling secured to the metal frame with tongue and groove joints which desk may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled.

Furniture made entirely of material such as wood has less strength than furniture having a metal frame and is subject to deterioration at exposed corners. Furniture made entirely of metal does not have the richness and Warmth of softer, more decorative, materials. Therefore there is a need for furniture having a strong metal frame and metal corners which furniture retains the richness and warmth of decorative material such as wood.

In the past furniture constructed of a combination of decorative material and metal has in general been unsatisfactory. The connections between the members of such furniture have been more or less exposed and ugly. Maintenance and repair on such furniture has often been poor and expensive due to the inexperience of metal workers in treating decorative materials and decorative materials Workers in repairing metal. Furthermore the manufacture of furniture using a combination of materials has presented problems due to the need for different tools and technologies within a single manufacturing unit for the different materials used.

l Also, shipping and storage of articles of furniture has been expensive and diiiicult due to the bulk of an assembled unit. Furthermore maintenance previously was complicated on furniture due to the substantially permanent character of the connections between the elements thereof.

Therefore it is one of the essential objects of this invention to provide an article of furniture having exposed metal frame and decorative paneling which is so constructed that connections between the wood and metal elements are not visible.

Another object is to provide an article of furniture having a metal frame and Wood panels connected by means of tongue and groove joints.

Another object is to provide an article of furniture having a metal frame with tongues extending therefrom and having paneling with a groove in the edge thereof, the frame and paneling being secured together with a tongue and groove joint.

Another object is to provide an article of furniture having a metal frame and decorative panels which may be easily separated for maintenance purposes.

Another object is to provide an article of furniture which is capable of easy disassembly and packaging for shipment or storage in a compact package unit.

Another object is to provide an article of furniture having a metal frame and wood paneling which is simple in construction, easy to produce and eiiicient in use.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a back view of a desk constructed according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a desk constructed according to this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a desk constructed according to this invention.

y premature deterioration.

FIGURE 4 is a partial section taken on line 4--4 in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of a typical lower corner detail of the frame of the desk of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a partial section taken on line 6--6 in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 7 is a partial section taken on line 7-7 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is a partial section taken on line 8-8 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 9 is a partial section taken on line 9-9 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE l0 is a partial section taken on line 10--10 in FIGURE 2.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings is a desk generally designated 2 in FIGURES l, 2 and 3. The desk as illustrated includes a metal frame 4 having tongues 6 on individual frame members, panels 8 with grooves 10 in the edge thereof and a top 12. Panels 8 are 'positioned in frame 4 with the tongue 6 inserted in grooves 10. The top 12 is then attached to frame 4. Such construction is simple and eicient producing a desk with the strength of metal where it is needed and having lthe warmth of wood without exposed connections.

Frame 4 includes four vertical corner posts 14, 16, 18 and Ztl fixed in rectangular relation by horizontal members 22 and 24 on the sides of the desk and front horizontal member 26 all rigidly connected to the corner posts as shown in FIGURE 5 by brackets 27 and screws 28 and 29. Shorter horizontal frame members 30 and 31 are` provided at the back of desk 2 extending toward each other from corner posts 14 and 16 as indicated in FIG- URE l. vided in the front of desk 2 extending vertically from the top of front horizontal member 26 as shown in FIGURE 2. Intermediate vertical posts 36 and 38 are provided in the back of desk 2 extending vertically from the ends of horizontal members 30 and 31 which are furthest from corner posts 14 and 16 respectively as shown in FIGURE l. Horizontal members 40 and 42 are also provided extending between the intersections of front horizontal member 26 and intermediate vertical posts 32 and 34 and the intersections of short horizontal members 30 and 31 with intermediate vertical posts 36 and 38 respectively. Members 40 and 42 are parallel to and in the plane of horizontal members 22, 24, 26, 30 and 31.

All members of the frame described are of generally rectangular cross section having tongues 6 extendingl from selected sides thereof as indicated in FIGURES 4-6 and 8-l0. Tongues 6 extend for substantially the full length of the members on the sides indicated in the figures and are provided for the purpose of forming a tongue and groove joint between frame 4 and panels 8.

Bracket 27 as shown in FIGURE 5 is provided at each interior corner for the purpose of connecting the horizontal and vertical members of frame 4. A at area 43 is machined in the vertical corner members as shown in FIGURE 5 so that a hole may be drilled and tapped therein for connection of screw 2S as shown. Portions of the horizontal members, as shown at 44 and 45 in FIGURE 5 are cut away Where corners are formed therebetween to allow screw 28 to be inserted between bracket 27 and the vertical members.

Frame 4 is made of metal to provide strength for desk 2 and to protect the edges and corners of the desk from Stainless steel, steel or aluminum are possible materials from which the frame may be constructed. The individual members may be extruded to shape or built up of other forms.

Panels 3 may be of wood, Wood with aluminum surfacing, formica or other suitable material colored or tex- Intermediate vertical posts 32 and 34 are pro-.

tured as desired. The panels 8 have grooves 10 in the edges thereof as shown in FIGURE 8. Panels 8 may be manufactured in any known manner and in assembly are inserted from the top into frame 4 between adjacent vertical posts. Tongues 6 on frame 4 fit within grooves 10 in panels 8. Panels 8 rest on the horizontal members 22, 24, 26, 30 and 31 and are held securely in place by tongues 6 in tongue and groove joints as indicated. Vertical walls for desk 2 are thereby produced which may have the warmth of wood and which may be easily detached from the metal frame for maintenance. Assembly of the panels 8 in frame 4 is simple and allows the frame 4 and panel 8 to be produced in widely separated places and to be assembled after linishing operations have been completed on both the panels and the frames.

Top 12 includes a rectangular metal frame 46 including members 47, 48, 49, and 50 similar to the members of frame 4 and of a cross section shown in FIGURES 6 and 8 including tongues 6. A desk top panel 51 of any desired material or size may be attached to the upper surface 52 of frame 46 by clips 53 and screws 54 as shown in FIGURES 6 and 8. Frame 46 is attached to the upper ends of the intermediate vertical posts of frame 4 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 7 by means of countersunk clearance holes 55 in frame 46, holes 56 tapped and drilled in the end surface of the intermediate vertical frame members and cap screws 57.

In manufacture frame 4 is finished and assembled by means of brackets 27. Panels 8 are produced, nished and inserted in frame 4, being held in place by the tongue and groove joint described previously. Rectangular frame 46 is constructed, finished and attached to frame 4 locking panels 8 in place with easily removable nonvisible connections. Top panel 51 is made and attached to frame 46 asy shown in FIGURE 8 thereby completing an article of furniture according to the invention having the advantage of both wood and metal desks and being simple to construct and maintain.

Furthermore it will be noted that with the construction and connections as described herein using tongue and groove joints and assembly brackets, screws and bolts, it is,y possible to completely dismantle the furniture construction for shipping or storage in a compact flat unit.

Drawers 58 may be provided in the back of desk 2 in place of panels 8 if so desired. The drawers if provided may be suspended from panels 8 which are crosswise of the desk 2 by means of spacers, rollers and tracks, all of which are conventional and are therefore not shown.

A dust board 60 may also be provided' at either end of desk 2. The dust board may be supported to tongues 6 extending from members 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 40 and 42 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4.

While a specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed has been described, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that many modifications and applications of the invention are possible. Wall partitions, store tixtures, waste baskets and tables are only a few of the many articles that may be constructed according to the invention. Therefore applicant does not wish to be limited to the specific embodiment of the invention disclosed herein.

The drawings and foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved furniture construction of this invention in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. An article of furniture comprising a metal frame including four vertical corner post members connected in rectangular arrangement and horizontal members attached near the bottom of the corner posts, said horizontal members and vertical corner posts having a solid rectangular cross section, a single tongue extending from the tops of each of said horizontal members and the sides adjacent thereto of each of the upper portions of said corner posts, rectangular wood panels including grooves in the edges thereof, said panels being inserted between the vertical members and resting on said horizontal members of said frame with said tongues inserted in said grooves whereby vertical walls for said article of furniture are provided, and a llat rectangular frame including a bottom and top face, a top panel for said article of furniture attached to the top face of said rectangular frame and having tongues extending from the other face, said rectangular frame being adapted to be secured to the upper ends of said vertical posts with the tongues on said bottom face inserted in the grooves in said panel edges to complete said article of furniture.

2. An article of furniture comprising a rectangular frame having four vertical metal corner post members, arranged to define a frame having a front, a back, and ends, an elongated horizontal metal bar member connected at its ends to the front corner post members adjacent the lower ends thereof, a pair of relatively short horizontal metal bar members connected at their ends to the pairs of vertical corner post members at the ends of said frame, said members having lateral lianges defining a continuous single flange extending across the bottom and sides of the spaces defined at the front of said frame between the vertical post members and the elongated horizontal bar member and at the ends of said frame between said vertical post members and the short horizontal bar members, front and side wood panels each having a single continuous groove extending along the top, bottom and side edges thereof and positioned in said spaces to receive the aforesaid flanges of adjacent post and bar members, elongated front and back top metal bar members detachably secured at their ends to the top of said post members and having depending anges, the flange of said front bar member being received in the groove at the top of the front panel, short top metal bar members, each detachably connected at its ends to the adjacent ends of said front and back top members, said top bar members being effective to lock the anges of said post members in the side grooves of said panel members and to prevent upward removal of said panel members, a horizontal top panel resting upon said top bar members, said top bar members having horizontally inwardly extending anges and means connected to the underside of said top panel and secured to said last named flanges for detachably securing the top panel to the top bar members.

3. A rectangular desk comprising a metal frame including vertical corner post members, horizontal members extending between corner posts near the bottom thereof in the front and on the sides of said desk, short horizontal members in the same plane as said rst mentioned horizontal members with free ends extending toward each other and having the other end rigidly connected to the corner posts at the back of said desk, and vertical intermediate posts between said corner posts in front of said desk extending upward from said horizontal members and also in back of said desk extending upward from said free ends of said short horizontal members, removable brackets securing the frame members together whereby said desk may be dismantled for packaging and shipping, the horizontal and vertical frame members having a solid rectangular cross section, a single tongue extending from the tops of said horizontal members between said vertical members and also from the adjacent sides of said vertical members, fiat rectangular wood panels having grooves in the edges thereof inserted between the vertical members at the front and sides of the desk with the tangues on both the horizontal and vertical members inserted in the grooves in the edges of the panels, whereby vertical walls for said desk are provided at the front and sides thereof, further horizontal tongues extending inwardly of said desk on the. inner sides of all of said horizontal members excepting that section of the front horiv zontal member between intermediate posts, and a horizontal dust board within said desk at both ends thereof supported on said further horizontal tongues, further panels extending crosswise of said desk between the intermediate vertical posts at the front and rear thereof, drawers supported by the side panels and further crosswise panels of said desk, the end faces of said drawers butting against said tongues on said short horizontal members, said rear corner posts and said rear intermediate posts, a at rectangular frame including a bottom and a top face having tongues extending from the bottom and inner faces thereof, a desk top, clamps securing said top to said frame in conjunction with the tongues on the inner faces of the frame, said frame being secured to the upper ends of said corner posts with the tongues on the bottom face thereof extending into the grooves in the edge of said panel members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Baker Apr. 26, Brown et a1. Nov. 19, Wilson Sept. 16, Jones Dec. 2, Fangel Sept. 28, Soule Dec. 20, Hall Dec. 6, Friedel May 6, Lew Aug. 8, Freeman June 7, Clouse July 5, Wallance Dec. 7,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 14,

lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent N0. 3,030,164 April 17, 1962 William E. Turley It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specification line for "770,995" read 770,955

Signed and sealed this 21st day of August 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON DAVID L, LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

